October 13, 2019 – Our supporters, sponsors, table hosts, staff, and board of directors all helped make our 2018 Shine Celebration such a memorable experience.  Whether it was singing, testimonies, or our new Way to Grow videos we debuted – it all came together in the name of early education and the power of change it has in our community. Read more.

July 15, 2018 – It was a day full of pride and joy on July 15^th as Way to Grow held our 2018 Early Learning and Third Grade Graduation at Urban Ventures in South Minneapolis. 30 staff members, 12 community volunteers, and hundreds of family members celebrated our graduates through a late-afternoon program that involved an activity and social hour, the graduation ceremony itself, and refreshments to close out the day. In all, we had 98 Early Learner Graduates and 57 Great by Eight (3^rd Grade Graduates). Read more.

May 9, 2018 – A huge tank you to the Minnesota Children’s Museum for inviting Way to Grow families to such a fun night!

May 2, 2018 – Thank you to everyone who attended our 2018 Spring Luncheon, Dr. Anne Gearity for sharing her knowledge, and for all the generous donors who help to make our work possible.

March 29, 2018 – We were excited to participate in Advocacy for Children Day at the Minnesota State Capitol this year!

March 1, 2018 – Learn more about one of our Parent Champions here!

October 27, 2017 – Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 2017 Shine Celebration! We are beyond grateful for your generosity and support of our children and families.

August 6, 2017 – Congratulations to our 116 Early Learner Graduates! We are so proud of all of our preschoolers and their families. We know they will do amazing things next year in Kindergarten!

July 13, 2017 – Congratulations to all our third graders who graduated our Great By Eight program this year! We had an such a evening celebrating with our families. Good luck in fourth grade and beyond!

May 17, 2017 – Thank you to all who attended our luncheon for supporting our mission to ensure every child is born healthy, stays healthy, and is prepared to succeed in school and life.

As Dr. Gearity indicated (slides available here), studies show a strong correlation between a child’s overall physical and mental health, and how well they are able to perform in school socially, emotionally, and academically. By third grade, this performance often predicts how likely he or she is to graduate from high school, and go on to college. Way to Grow helps give children a strong start by connecting some of our city’s most isolated families to the resources they need and establish a more secure position at home, in school, and within the community.

March 2, 2017

January 26, 2017 – Way to Grow hosted a special event to help families find, select, and enroll their children in school. The Ready for Kindergarten event, open to the public, reminded parents the importance of serving as their child’s first teacher and number one advocate. “When choosing a school, finding a good fit really comes down to parents knowing and advocating for what their children need,” Hannah Peterson, Director of Education at Way to Grow says. “It is also about building a strong partnership between schools, parents, and the community to best support each child–another point we really wanted parents to come away with.”

The Ready for Kindergarten event also allowed space for parents to ask questions and participate in group discussion topics. Many families were particularly interested in learning more about Minneapolis Public School dual-language program offerings and overall school registration requirements. Parents also received checklists on what to look for when touring a school, and on key school-readiness skills their child should have by the time they start school (based on the state’s new Early Childhood Indicators of Progress). In support of these skills, the community session also highlighted activities parents can do at home with their children, such as those outlined by the City’s Talking is Teaching: Talk, Read, Sing program and included in Way to Grow’s home visiting curriculum, to ensure their children enter school this fall ready to succeed.

October 28, 2016 – Thank you to everyone who helped make our 2016 Shine Celebration such an amazing success! We sincerely appreciate all the work done by volunteers, table sponsors, and our dedicated staff. A special thank you to guest speaker, Dr. Steve Perry, all the silent and live auction donors, sponsors, and all those who attended. It’s only with your support that we are able to serve our families. View all of the fun photo booth photos here. We hope to see you again next year!

August 13, 2016 – Congratulations to all our Early Learner Graduates!

June 22, 2016 – Check out photos from our Meet the Scholar event!

April 28, 2016 – The Way to Grow Spring Luncheon took place in the beautiful Skyline Room at the Walker Art Center this year. The event was a huge success thanks to our wonderful guests and speakers. Read More.